The Florida State University Department of Anthropology will leave its West Tennessee Street home for an 11,000-square-foot space in Innovation Park of Tallahassee.

The relocation to the Johnson Building, 2035 E. Dirac Drive, is prompted by Target's plans to bring a mini store to the Varsity Plaza shopping center on High Road and West Tennessee Street. The move is planned for July 31.

It is the second organization in the past year to move into the park. Earlier this year, a local startup, Sensatek Propulsion Technologies Inc. set up its offices in the Knight Administrative Building with hopes to expand into a larger space within the park in the near future.

"The Department of Anthropology is going to be a valuable new resident to the park community,” said Ron Miller, executive director of the Leon County Research and Development Authority, which oversees the park.

"Innovation Park has many preeminent research and development organizations that focus on industries like magnetics, advanced power systems, and high-performance materials, just to name a few," he added. "Many of these organizations collaborate on different projects, and we look forward to our current residents and visitors being able to connect with our new resident.”

There will also be additional faculty joining the department which will conduct other research at the Innovation Park location. The department also plans to host office hours and present research seminars at the Innovation Park location.

"We are very excited to be moving to Innovation Park, and be neighbors with the Southeast Archeological Center again,” said Rochelle Marrinan, chair of the Department of Anthropology.